Rep. Scott DesJarlais

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a tax credit for businesses selling products made with U.S.-grown cotton. The credit equals 24% of the cotton's market value if processed only in the U.S. or in countries with U.S. trade deals, or 18% for other processing locations. To qualify, cotton must be digitally traced from U.S. farms to finished products and certified by the USDA as meeting origin requirements. It directly affects clothing and textile manufacturers selling qualifying products in the U.S. market.

Maddy summaryHR 7199, the Gerald’s Law Act, expands burial benefits for veterans who die at home while receiving VA hospice care. It adds a new eligibility category allowing burial allowances for veterans who were in VA hospice care at home *only if* they previously received VA hospital or nursing home care. The bill amends existing law to include this scenario under the veterans' burial allowance program. This change directly affects veterans receiving VA hospice care at home after prior VA facility-based care, ensuring they qualify for burial benefits similar to those who die in VA facilities. The policy change takes effect as if included in the 2020 Veterans Health Care Act.

Maddy summaryHR 909, the Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act of 2025, modifies how funds from the False Claims Act are deposited into the Crime Victims Fund. It specifies that from 2025 through 2029, certain False Claims Act proceeds (specifically those for qui tam plaintiff payments and government damage reimbursements) cannot be deposited into the fund. This change directly affects the composition of the Crime Victims Fund by excluding these specific revenue streams during the specified period. The bill does not create new benefits or alter victim services; it only adjusts fund allocation rules for existing False Claims Act revenues.

Maddy summaryHR 2405, the White Oak Resilience Act, establishes a voluntary coalition to coordinate federal, state, tribal, and private efforts for restoring white oak forests across the U.S. It creates pilot projects on public lands (including national forests and Department of the Interior sites), a non-regulatory grant program for landowners, and a strategy to address tree nursery shortages. The bill directly affects private landowners, tribes, state agencies, and federal land managers by providing technical assistance, funding for restoration, and research on white oak resilience. The program includes a 7-year sunset clause and emphasizes science-based restoration without mandating new regulations.

Maddy summaryHR 4837, the Written Informed Consent Act, requires the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) to update its existing directive on informed consent to include additional medication classes. Specifically, it mandates that written informed consent must be obtained before prescribing antipsychotics, stimulants, antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications (anxiolytics), and narcotics (opioids) to veterans. This expansion directly affects veterans receiving these medications through the VA system, ensuring they are informed about specific treatment risks and alternatives. The key mechanism is amending VHA Directive 1005 to broaden its application beyond long-term opioid therapy to cover the newly listed medication types.

Maddy summaryHR 6393, the "DSH in Tennessee Act," permanently restores and guarantees specific federal hospital funding for Tennessee starting in fiscal year 2026. It directs the federal government to provide Tennessee with a Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) allotment equal to the state's 2015 level, adjusted annually for inflation based on the Consumer Price Index. This funding directly supports hospitals in Tennessee that serve large numbers of low-income patients, ensuring they receive consistent federal financial assistance. The bill treats Tennessee as a "low DSH state" for future funding calculations, establishing a permanent, inflation-adjusted funding formula.

Maddy summaryThis bill ensures that critical firearm-related government operations continue during federal shutdowns. It designates background checks (via the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives enforcement, and firearm export licensing (handled by Commerce and State Departments) as essential services that must remain operational. These functions would be treated as "excepted" under federal law, meaning their employees would continue working even if other government services halt. The bill affects how background checks and firearm export licenses are processed during shutdowns but does not change gun ownership laws or eligibility.

Maddy summaryHR 5813, the Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Modernization Act of 2025, requires health insurance plans to cover all medically necessary breast or chest wall reconstruction services following breast cancer treatment, including mastectomy or breast-conserving surgery. It mandates coverage for every reconstruction method (like implants, tissue flaps, or future recognized techniques), symmetrical surgery for the other breast, custom prostheses, and treatment of complications like lymphedema. Health plans must ensure at least one in-network provider for each reconstruction type, provide annual written notices to patients about this coverage, and cannot deny coverage or penalize providers for following these requirements. This applies to group and individual health insurance plans, with no effect on stricter state laws requiring broader coverage.

Maddy summaryThis bill would require all states to recognize valid concealed carry permits issued by other states, allowing permit holders to carry concealed handguns (excluding machine guns) in any state that either issues such permits or doesn't prohibit concealed carry. It directly affects law-abiding gun owners with valid permits from their home state, ensuring they can carry in states with similar permit systems or no prohibitions. Key provisions include treating valid permit documents as proof of legal carry (reducing officer stops), shifting the burden of proof to prosecutors if challenged, and allowing civil lawsuits for violations with attorney's fee awards. The bill does not override state laws restricting firearms on private property or government land, nor does it affect federal gun restrictions like those in section 922(q).

Maddy summaryHR 5649, the Judicial Accountability for Public Safety Act of 2025, allows individuals injured by a judicial officer's actions to sue for civil damages. It specifically targets cases where a judge intentionally ignored public safety risks or acted with gross negligence during bond or sentencing decisions in criminal cases. Victims must prove their injury with clear and convincing evidence, and courts may award compensatory or punitive damages. This bill removes legal immunity for such judges in these specific circumstances, applying to both federal and state judges handling criminal cases, but does not apply to actions taken in good faith or within normal judicial discretion.